Frostbite

Chapter Twenty-One

"If you'd like to know why I'm a part of this group then I suggest you ask it to my face, instead of asking questions about me like I'm not standing right here."

That voice—despite its frigid edge—was unmistakable. It was Gwen's voice. Could Eira have really imagined something like that?

"Oh—sorry. That was rude of me," Kea forced out, an awkwardness settling over the room.

Eira might have found it amusing had she not had other things on her mind.

The meeting didn't drag on much longer, for which she was thankful. Eira just wanted to get out there; wanted to stop having to look at the person who couldn't be Gwen.

Eira and Kea were dismissed before the newcomers, but just as she turned to follow him, a hand grasped Eira's arm with a strange gentleness.

She jerked her head around to see who it was. It was her. She bore an unreadable expression and held a folded piece of paper in her outstretched palm. She motioned for Eira to take it, and Eira did so, clenching the paper in her sweat-slicked fist. Before she got a change to ask what it was about, the woman turned away, focusing her attention on Darrow and the others.

Eira unfolded the paper, fingers shaking ever so slightly.

It was a note.

Meet me behind headquarters in ten minutes. Come alone.

Eira's eyes widened. What did she want? Did she—suspect something?

"What was that all about in there?" Kea asked when Eira had rejoined him in the hallway, shooting her an expectant look.

"Nothing," she replied automatically. "I mean—she, uh—she looked like someone I once knew. For a second... I thought she really was her."

"But she isn't?"

"No. I quickly realised my mistake."

"Oh." Eira noted Kea's tone was tinged with doubt.

"Do you think Darrow can pull this mission off? Do you think we can?" A desperate attempt to keep her mind from veering off down an inevitable path.

"I don't know. Probably. But it depends on whether we're lucky. Though I'd say that man does always seem to pull off things that I would've previously thought impossible."

I'll have to see what he can do, then, thought Eira.

They exited the house, the bracing night air a momentary reprieve from Eira's thoughts. Kea walked a good few paces ahead. When he noticed she wasn't following, he turned back. "You aren't coming?"

"No, I—there's something I have to do."

Kea a quick nod and turned to leave. But a moment later he paused once again. "Lowenna—are you sure you don't know that girl?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Eira hoped the lie wasn't evident in her tone.

"All right, then." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but before he could, he turned around and left for good this time.